


First And Ten

by Apetslife



Category: Popslash
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-03
Updated: 2012-02-03
Packaged: 2017-10-30 13:04:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/332016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apetslife/pseuds/Apetslife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The HS Football AU!  Written for DWNOGA 2003.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First And Ten

  
It was a hot and heavy, sticky day, the kind of day that put people in the hospital with heatstroke, the day Nick showed up and changed JC's world. Maryland in the summer, when all the boys took their shirts off, and all the girls wore skimpy tank tops. Long sultry dim evenings, full of fireflies and mosquitoes, but for JC, August was about football.

August tryouts, when everyone drank as much water as they could and lay gasping on the sun-baked grass after their turn at the 40-yard dash, when even the most dedicated girlfriends and parents escaped to the shade of nearby trees. JC loved it. He loved proving himself over and over, showing that he could give 110% just like Coach asked for. He enjoyed the feeling of his muscles as they warmed and stretched and started working at their best, and he especially loved bonding with his teammates. Nothing like hellish practice conditions to bring people together, and anyone who'd been through August tryouts together, well, they just forever after had something in common.

Nick didn't show up until the second day, and halfway through practice at that, so he got a lot of attention. Especially since he looked cool as a cucumber in his white shirt and ball cap, equipment bag slung casually over one shoulder, walking along like the heat didn't touch him at all. JC comforted himself with the knowledge that if he hadn't just spent two hours running blocking drills, he might look that comfortable too, and surreptitiously wiped his face with the hem of his practice jersey. And Nick strolled right up to Coach and stuck his hand out with a big grin, introducing himself as the new transfer from Tallahassee. JC had only the vaguest notion where that was, but he thought it was somewhere in Florida, and suddenly it made more sense that this big blond kid didn't look too bothered by the Maryland heat.

He was a junior, Nick went on to say, and he was sorry he'd missed the first day of tryouts, but it had been a little hard to figure out where he was supposed to go. He stood there, easy and smiling under the brutal sun, and JC had to look away quickly, before he started liking what he saw too much. So he was a little startled by the hand on his shoulder.

"JC," Coach said, and JC automatically hopped to his feet. "This is Nick. He's gonna be trying out for the QB spot. Nick, this is JC, our starting quarterback from last year. He's your competition, kid, I think he'll keep you on your toes. Now get into one of these practice jerseys and a helmet, get yourself some water, we're gonna be doing passing drills in five."

"Okay, Coach," JC nodded as a reflex. "We'll be ready."

"Better be." Coach slapped them both on the shoulders, and left them staring at each other. Nick was tall, taller than JC and broad with it, big across the shoulders and he looked strong. He was bigger than most of the kids they had playing the line, and JC had a sulky moment wondering why he wasn't going out for a linebacker spot or even defensive end. Then Nick grinned at him, shook his hand, and JC forgot to sulk.

"Hey, man." He glanced around the field. "Point me at those jerseys?"

"Over there." JC jerked his head, tore his eyes away. "C'mon, I'll show you." He glanced sideways at Nick as they walked towards the equipment pile, irresistibly curious. "You played at your old school?"

"Oh yeah, all three years till we moved," Nick nodded enthusiastically, then crouched to start going through the pile of helmets. "I was a starter last year, but, y'know, I don't figure I can walk in here and just play. Y'all probably have tons of plays to learn, I don't mind playing backup."

"Coach always plays the best guy," JC shook his head. "He figures the best way to learn the plays is to play." He felt a flash of--jealousy, something--again, as he looked down at Nick's broad shoulders, big capable hands. "Not that I'm gonna let you take my spot, or nothing."

"'Course not." Nick grinned up at him, then yanked his shirt over his head, giving JC a look at smooth golden-tan skin before he pulled on the practice jersey in all its ratty glory. "A'right, I'm ready to play."

"Right on," JC said, finally smiling back at him, and Nick blinked at him for a long moment before taking his offered hand to haul himself back to his feet.

***

Nick was good. Nick was *very* good, and JC was more than a little concerned by the time they headed back to the locker room for showers. He maybe wasn't the most graceful guy JC'd ever seen--he'd tripped over his own feet more than once when scrambling away from a rush--but he had an arm like a cannon and he wasn't afraid to take a hit, and he'd bulldozed his way right through the defensive secondary more than once. JC tried to comfort himself that he was quicker, more accurate, knew their receivers better, but he watched Nick collect friendly shoulder-slaps and congratulations on their way into the locker rows, and chewed his lip uncertainly.

"Nick!" Justin could always be counted on to welcome anyone new to the team. The boy had more energy and enthusiasm than any one person should possess, and he bounced right up to Nick and gave him a high-five that had Nick chuckling. "Welcome to the Bears, man. Good stuff out there, dude, seriously!"

"Hey, thanks." Nick sat down and wiped his face with a towel, took a long drink of water, kicked off his cleats. "And right back at you. It's nice to play with a tight team like this one. Even if y'all have some funky plays, I dunno WHAT that fleaflicker thing was about, craazy." He laughed at the faces everyone around him made, and JC grinned quietly into his locker as he started to get changed. "It's fuckin' weird, getting used to all these new plays."

"Aww, yeah." Benny, last year's new transfer and this year's starting center, nodded understanding. "I still miss my old team, too. But these guys are great."

"Yeah." Nick glanced down at his hands, sighed a little. "I think I'm gonna miss my old blocking back more'n I'll miss my boyfriend."

The hush was sudden and absolute, as every guy in the locker room turned to stare. "Holy shit," Justin whispered from beside JC, his eyes huge.

"Oh, c'mon." Nick's eyebrows were raised, and he was smiling a little. "Y'all seem like bright guys, don't tell me you're stuck way back in the dark ages when people thought homophobia was anything but completely stupid." He stood up, and up and up, all 6-foot-lots of him, and tossed his duffel over his shoulder again.

"No," Justin squeaked, while JC fought to unfreeze his tongue, his brain, his heart. "Nope, we're cool, dude."

"Good to hear." Nick put his cap on with a flourish, pushing his long blond hair back behind his ears, and grinned at the room. "I think it's gonna be a great year," he declared, and walked out of the locker room, leaving a ringing silence behind him.

"Motherfucker, does he have some balls." Joey broke the silence first, sounding awed. "Holy shit."

"Seriously," Chris chimed in, from where he was putting his place-kicker shoes away. "Big brass ones." He shook his head admiringly.

"I thought fags *hated* football," Justin protested.

"Shit, Justin, don't let Nick hear you say that," Chris warned, snickering. "Bet he'd kick your skinny ass so hard your momma'd get bruises."

"Bullshit, he could not," Justin said stoutly. "And don't you say anything about my momma."

"Oh for Christ's sake, he's twice your size and three times as tough-" Chris was cut off when Justin leaped at him and wrestled him into a headlock, and then there was chaos as Chris called for reinforcements and it turned into a free-for-all. In the craziness, no one noticed that JC was still standing, mouth open, staring at the door Nick had walked through.

***

"Oh my god, can you believe it?" Justin's voice rang, high and excited, down the phone line, and JC rolled his eyes even though he knew Justin couldn't see it. Justin was a great kid, very good ball player, and something of a favorite with the ladies, but he was sometimes a total girl. He was only a sophomore, so JC was hoping he'd grow out of it eventually.

"Dude, you sound like a chick."

"I do not!" Justin sounded indignant, but clearly couldn't keep it up for long. "Dude, he came right out just like it was nothing!"

"I don't think, probably, maybe it wasn't nothing," JC said, having given it some serious thought. "I think it was a big deal for him and he didn't want us to know how big, or maybe he kind of wanted to make a splash, or something, I dunno."

"Well, whatever, he still just told us all like easy as anything," Justin insisted, and sighed. "I wish I was gay, I'd totally come out just like that. Just say 'fuck you!' to everyone who doesn't like it, y'know? Hey, do you think he really will beat my ass if I say 'fag' around him?"

"Fuck yeah," JC said, firmly, fearing for Justin's face. "It's tacky anyway, J, I dunno why you're always saying it."

"It's funny, an' you say it just as much as me," Justin said weakly, then sighed again. "Okay, whatever, I won't say it around him. Man, I wonder if he gets a lot of play? He's pretty good looking for a dude, don't you think?"

"I'll be sure to tell him you're interested," JC said, just to hear Justin squawk on the other end of the line. "Kidding, kidding. I have no idea how much play he gets, I only met the guy today, just like you." He couldn't help but wonder, though. Nick really was amazingly gorgeous, and JC could admit that, in the privacy of his own mind. He had the reddest, prettiest mouth, and his eyes were perfectly blue, and his skin looked really soft. Nick touched boys with those hands and kissed them with that mouth, and he liked it when they touched him back-

"DUDE! Earth to JC!" Justin's voice jarred him out of his thoughts, and he flushed hotly, though there was no way Justin could know what he was thinking. "Do you want to go with me and Emily and Emily's big sister Sarah, you know, the one that's totally into you, to the Dairy Queen after practice tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure," JC agreed, a little dazed. "Sounds good."

***

"Why?" It was the first word JC had been able to say to Nick all day, and he managed to get it out while they were throwing balls at a swinging target, first one, then the other. The other guys had welcomed Nick back with varying degrees of warmth and wariness, some ignoring him entirely and others making it a point to shake hands, bump shoulders, say hello. JC'd just stayed out of his way, but considering they were going out for the same position, there was only so much distance he could keep between them. Nick didn't even twitch at his question, releasing the football in a perfect spiral that neatly pegged the center of the target.

"Why what?" He turned and looked at JC curiously, wiping his hands on the towel hanging from the belt of his pants.

"Why...just...why did you..." JC shook his head, frustrated with his own incoherence, and threw.

"Why'd I..." Nick led him, tipping his head. "Move to Maryland? Join the football team? Dye my hair blue last year? Spit it out, dude."

"Why'd you say that, yesterday?" JC wiped his own sweaty hands, and waited for the ball boy to toss the balls back. He didn't look at Nick.

"What, about being gay?" Nick caught the ball easily, tucked it under his arm, waited his turn. "I figured, hell of a lot better to get it out in the open, not have to sneak around, no lying. I hate lying." His voice was still easy and pleasant, but there was an inflexibility to it that JC recognized.

"But, it would be so much easier," JC protested, still not looking at Nick. "Don't you freak out, wonder if people are gonna, you know. Hate you, beat you up, shit like that?" He threw, and cursed under his breath as the ball wobbled out of its spiral. He was distracted, and he couldn't afford to be.

"Oh, sure, it's sometimes easier to lie," Nick admitted. "But it fuckin' sucks and it makes me miserable. And then when I got caught--and you always get caught--not only would my friends be freaked 'cause I was gay, they'd be justifiably pissed that I'd lied. I don't see any reason to go through that. Also, this way I don't gotta pretend to like fag jokes." He threw. "You seem awful interested, I gotta say."

"I'm not," JC said hastily. "I'm just curious, is all. It's not something you see every day, you know? Especially on the team. Just, that, yeah."

"Okay," Nick said agreeably. "Whatever."

***

JC took his time in the shower that night, and stared at his reflection for a long time in the steamy mirror after he was done. He still looked like the same JC, still had the floppy dark curls and the slightly-too-big nose, eyes that scrunched up when he grinned, awful buck teeth that he hated. He turned sideways, and thought he liked his flat stomach, the muscles in his chest and arms. He was a pretty good looking guy, really. He wondered if Nick thought so too, and then bit his own lip hard enough to leave a bloody mark.

"JC!" His mom's voice rang through the house, and he blinked at his reflection once or twice before throwing on jeans and t-shirt and clattering down the stairs. "Justin's here," she said much more quietly, giving him a smile and a kiss before he charged out the door. "Be back before eleven!" she called after him, and he waved his acknowledgement before sliding into the front seat of Justin's car.

"You are so spoiled," he said, first thing, just like always when he rode with Justin. Sure it was used, but Justin still had a *Mustang convertible* that his parents had given him on his sixteenth birthday, and that was just beyond anything JC had ever heard. He was still jealous, and he got rides in it all the time. Justin never let anyone else drive.

"Yeah, yeah." Justin grinned at him, and gunned the car out of his driveway. "We're meeting the girls there, cool? And man, that Emily, she's such a cutie, dawg, serious. She's all, putting her hand on my leg and stuff in class, it's out of control." He checked his hair in the rearview mirror, but JC could have told him that the curls were still gelled to perfection and untroubled by the wind. Justin was a big believer in styling products.

"Yeah?" He couldn't muster more than a vague interest in Emily and her cuteness. Justin's big hands on the steering wheel, though, those were strangely fascinating. And the long, elegant line of Justin's neck as he tilted his head and laughed at something on the radio, and the play of muscles in his legs as he shifted through the gears--shame and shock snapped JC out of that train of thought, and he pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes, welcoming the painful red sparks that shattered the darkness.

"Dude, are you okay?" Justin sounded worried. "I didn't think Boner hit you that hard, man, does your head seriously hurt?"

"No," JC said, and choked out something that was almost a laugh, raising his head and letting the damp night air cool his hot cheeks just a little. "No, I'm fine," he said, waving away Justin's concerned glances. "Just tired, y'know?"

"Getting old," Justin teased, clearly relieved. "You just need a night out, some time with some fine ladies."

"Yeah, that's it," JC rolled his eyes at Justin, who giggled. JC remembered the little boy he'd known since they were both riding bikes with training wheels, and clenched his hands so hard his fingernails left marks on his palms. When they got to the Dairy Queen, he smiled and flirted and ate ice cream, and when he got home that night his cheeks were sore and stiff and he crawled into bed and pulled the covers over his head.

***

Three days later and it hadn't gotten any cooler.

"Looks like Nick's got himself a fan," Joey said, draping one arm around JC's neck and ignoring all attempts to bat him away. "You think Justin's figuring out the cost to get himself surgically attached to Nick's ass?"

"Get off, it's hot," JC bitched, shoving at him. The last thing he wanted during one of their precious breaks was to share body heat with anyone. "Anyway, he's just interested 'cause Nick's the first gay guy he's ever met."

"I doubt that," Joey said, light and casual. "Might be the only one he's ever met who admitted it."

JC looked at him, panic rising in his throat, but Joey's face was calm and blank and he was looking at Justin and Nick playing keep-away-from-Chris with a Gatorade bottle, he didn't even glance at JC. Joey was in theater, after all, even though he was on the football team too, and JC knew what kinds of people did theater. Joey knew lots of gay people, probably. JC forced himself to calm down.

"Whatever," he shrugged, dismissing it. "You know how Justin is with anything new, it's like he's got a new toy or something. He'll get over it."

"Probably," Joey agreed. "Nick's pretty fuckin' diesel, though. He kicked the ever-loving holy Jesus out of John Bates last night at the movie theater, he said something shitty about something and, like, shoved him, and Nick just took him out. Didn't even really get pissed about it, but he took care of business. He ain't gonna get fucked with."

"Aww, Justin's got a crush on the big strong man," JC mocked lightly, ignoring the way his throat was tightening up again, the way he couldn't look away from their game. "He ain't getting my starting spot, though, I don't care if he's the Caped Gay Crusader or whatever."

Joey snorted a laugh, slapped JC's shoulder. "Nice. Be careful, though, buddy, and I don't mean that in a drop-the-soap kinda way." He looked directly into JC's eyes for a long moment, like he was trying to tell him something, but JC couldn't for the life of him figure out what it was. Joey sighed, and patted his shoulder, and went to get more Gatorade.

"Dude," Justin trotted up to him, breathless, and JC grinned at him, just pleased to have his attention, something else he didn't really want to think about. He wasn't jealous of his best friend, oh no. "Dude, Nick's having a thing, tomorrow, after they make the announcements about the team. Like a party for everyone who survived tryouts. He told me to ask you to come, 'cause he thinks you hate him." Justin frowned at him. "I said you didn't. You don't, do you?"

"No!" JC was horrified, and his eyes flew to Nick, who was laughing at Chris and ignoring them entirely. "Dude, no, I don't hate Nick. I'm not some kinda bigot."

"I didn't say you were," Justin's frown actually intensified. "But now that I think about it, you do kinda dodge him a lot. You sure you don't have a problem with him?"

"Justin, we're trying out for the same spot on the team," JC snapped at him, "maybe I don't want to be the guy's brand-new best friend, all right? And anyway, you've got that all wrapped up." He bit his tongue and stared at the ground and wished frantically that he could take the words back.

"Fuck, JC," Justin sounded surprised. "You really do hate him."

"I don't," JC insisted, looking up and meeting his eyes. "I swear to god, Justin, I don't. I'm just stressed about the team, tryouts and stuff, all right?"

Justin didn't look convinced, but shrugged. "Whatever. I'll tell him you'll be there, then. And don't be a dick to him, he's cool."

"I know," JC said wearily. "Believe me, I know."

That night, in his dreams, JC was being chased by a naked Nick who kept laughing at him and throwing footballs that unerringly hit JC on the head. Every time he caught JC, he kissed him. JC woke up shivering and hard and very, very confused.

***

"Final scrimmage," the Coach announced, to a chorus of excited whoops and exhausted groans. "This is your last shot to show me your stuff, so get out there." He rattled off the teams, and JC's side ran to pick up the green pinnies to wear over their practice jerseys.

"Green's my lucky color," Joey boasted, struggling to get his on over the bulk of his shoulder pads. "We're gonna kick ass." Joey always thought they would kick ass, despite the fact that Joey himself was not much of an athlete. JC thought he kept making the team mostly because Coach knew he was so good for morale. He grinned as he yanked Joey's pinnie down for him in the back, and slapped him hard on the side of his helmet.

"You know it, boy," he said, feeling that excitement start thrumming through him, the high of playing in the game, taking the hits, making the plays, being *good* at it. He didn't even notice the stale-sweat smell of his own pads, the way one patch of skin on his arm was throbbing with sunburn, the heaviness in all his muscles as they jogged out to the middle of the hashmarks. Green won the toss, so JC took the play from Coach and broke the huddle, chanting the count at the line with the broken rhythm that always pulled the other team offsides.

"Twelve...fifteensixnine...forty-three...huthut, hut, HIKE!"

That first impact off the line, the low crunch of bodies slamming together and pads taking most of the force, always went right to his head. He scrambled left, dodged someone's hand coming for his face, sidestepped right, and threw. The ball settled neatly into Justin's outstretched hands, and they had a first down on the first play off the line. JC bounced with delight, and trotted up to the new line of scrimmage.

Nick's head was clearly visible, even though Coach had him playing in the backfield when the defensive squad was on. Trying him out, Coach said, since it would be a shame to let all that size go to waste. Nick had laughed and shrugged and agreed, and now JC had to throw just a little bit higher on his screen plays to the left side of the field. Stupid tall Nick, anyway. JC didn't want to think that maybe Coach was playing Nick on defense because two of their centers had objected to playing with him, saying having his hands that close to them made them uncomfortable. Coach had smacked them down, but one had quit the team, and he was a senior, two, a guy who had two varsity letters. No one was talking about it, but everyone knew. Nick hadn't said a word.

Four plays later, and they were in the end zone. JC couldn't decide whether to be thrilled about their mad crazy offensive skills, or depressed about their rather obvious lack of defense, since this was after all a scrimmage against his own teammates. He settled on a little bit of both, and headed straight for the water when the special teams squad came on for the point after kick.

***

It wasn't like JC had been looking for Nick, not at all. After all, he'd seen him when they arrived at the party, he'd shaken his hand and said his hellos, and then he'd gone straight for the beer. Nick's parents were divorced, apparently, and Nick lived with his dad and his brother, neither of whom were present, and Nick had some kind of booze hookup like JC'd never seen. There was even a keg. Justin was in awe.

So he'd maybe had a couple of beers, and he'd been wandering around a little, talking to different people. A lot of guys had brought their girlfriends, Justin had, but enough hadn't that he didn't feel to strange not having one himself. If he *had* been looking for Nick, it would only have been to congratulate him on making the team, or so he told himself, even if JC was nominally still the first-string player. JC knew that Nick would get the starting nod against teams with a lot of size on their defensive line.

"Hey." He would have been more surprised to see Nick out on the deck, smoking, if he hadn't already seen all the places in the house Nick *wasn't*. Not that he'd been looking. Of course. Joey and his knowing looks could just fuck off.

"Hey." Nick glanced up and saw him, looked momentarily surprised, and then smiled. "What's up?"

"Great party." JC eased himself out onto the deck, a strange knot of tension in his belly, his hands cold. He blamed the beer. "Seriously, it's great. And congratulations, welcome to the team, all that stuff, you know." He could feel his face heat up, but hoped Nick couldn't see it, as he leaned on the deck railing at Nick's side.

"Thanks." Nick sounded surprised again. "It's a great team, I can't wait to get real practice started." He shrugged, just a little. "Y'all are good guys, too, you know."

"You mean..." JC trailed off, shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, sorry about the, you know. With those guys. It's kind of just a thing."

"I know," Nick answered, sounding very tired suddenly. "You think I don't know? Believe me, I been through it before. This place ain't so bad, relatively. In fact, it's like heaven compared to some places I been. I might even get to stay in this school long enough to graduate, though I ain't counting my chickens just yet."

JC blinked at him. Big, confident, no-worries Nick sounded like things maybe weren't as easy for him as JC had assumed. A little breath of angerjealousyfear left him, and he sighed.

"Yeah, well. You're on the team, that's one big thing," he pointed out, and took a huge, steadying gulp of his beer. "You're our boy now, we take care of each other."

"Yeah?" Nick chuckled, and drank some of his own beer, crushing his cigarette butt under his heel. "Right up 'till he have to share showers in an away locker room, right?"

"Even then." JC's voice was shaking, and he fought to steady it, and he couldn't believe he was doing this. His mind was spinning, his heart trying to hammer its way out through the cage of his ribs, so when he surged forward against Nick and tried to kiss him, it was awkward and clumsy and he spilled his beer all over his own jeans. His mouth caught the corner of Nick's jaw as Nick stood frozen, and JC dug fingers into his arm, trying to get him to turn, lean, something, _any_ thing, when Nick pushed him gently away.

"Oh god." JC couldn't keep it in.

"No, hey, no." Nick's voice was gentle, and when JC dared to look, he was smiling. "Dude, I just. Look, you're...whatever. Okay? And you're freaking out, kind of, here, right?"

"Just a little." Nick had such a nice smile, JC couldn't help but smile back at it, and that helped settle him.

"Relax." Nick leaned against the railing, and looked at him. "Look, I am totally not interested in dating someone who's in the closet, okay? I'm way out and I ain't going back in. But you, you're..." he shook his head. "God, I sound like some kinda counselor, but you're still really mixed up, I can tell. How 'bout you figure stuff out, and come talk to me whenever, and when you got it figured out, we'll see."

JC felt completely let down. In his blurry fantasies and imaginings, they were always naked by now, once he'd worked himself up to that first kiss. "But I think you're hot," he blurted, feeling almost dizzy as the beer hit and the adrenaline rush wore itself out. He couldn't look Nick in the eye, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd been more embarrassed.

"I think you're hot too." Finally, Nick's flush matched JC's own, which was a comfort. "But, dude, no. Okay, maybe, but not right now. I have to make sure nobody pukes on my lawn, y'know? My dad would fuckin' kill me."

JC grinned, then, unable to help himself. Relaxed, just a little, realizing that now Nick knew, now someone besides JC knew. And Nick was okay with it. And Nick didn't want to get killed by his father. That, he could understand. "All right. I'm, yeah. We'll see. Whatever."

"Right, yeah," Nick answered dryly, and when Justin came to find them, they were both laughing.

**end**  



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